2003 Nissan Altima: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2003 Nissan Altima: 4 recalls, 883 owner complaints and up to 23 mpg combined.
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Recalls
4 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer, plus 6 equipment/tire recalls that can apply. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Engine & cooling Vehicle recall #03V084000 · 2003 · 338,000 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain vehicles equipped with the 2.5 liter engine, the exhaust pipe hanger pin May catch debris from the road that could be ignited by contact with the main catalyst. Also on 2002 altima and sentra vehicles, certain engine operating conditions May cause the pre-catalyst to overheat and damage the catalyst substrate.
Why it matters: Either of these two conditions could result in a fire.
The fix: Dealers will remove the protruding portion of the exhaust pipe hanger pin. In addition to the corrective action, in order to reduce the risk of fire in the event of poor or improper maintenance that could result in oil spillage, heat shield(s) will be installed on the pre-catalyst and exhaust tube.…
Fuel system Vehicle recall #03V251000 · 2003 · 377,000 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of alaska, colorado, connecticut, iowa, idaho, illinois, indiana, kansas, massachusetts, maine, michigan, minnesota, missouri, montana, north dakota, nebraska, new hampshire, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, south dakota, utah, vermont, wisconsin, and wyoming. At extremely cold temperatures, moisture in the fuel tank…
Why it matters: This can prevent the supply of fuel to the engine and cause the engine to stop, which could result in a crash without warning.
The fix: Dealers will install a screen at the suction opening of the fuel pump to prevent ice crystals from blocking the opening. Owner notification began on August 18, 2003. Owners should contact Nissan at 1-800-333-0829.
Engine & cooling Vehicle recall #03V455000 · 2003 · 630,000 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain passenger vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor or cam position sensor May have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during the soldering process.
Why it matters: This could cause the "service engine soon" warning light to come on, create a no start condition, cause reduced engine power, or cause the engine to stop running without warning during vehicle operation, which could result in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Camshaft position sensor(s), and in some cases, the variable timing control sensor(s). Vehicles involved in a previous recall campaign, 01v357, are also included in this new campaign. The replacement sensors used in that campaign are also affected.…
Engine & cooling Vehicle recall #06V242000 · 2006 · 294,166 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l engine, the crank angle sensor is affected by temperature variations. Under certain driving conditions, these variations in temperature can be large enough to cause a brief interruption in the signal output from the sensor.
Why it matters: If the interruption in the signal from the sensor is so brief that the electronic control module (ECM) logic does not have time to diagnose the condition, the engine May stop running without warning while the vehicle is driven at a low speed increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the ECM free of charge. The recall began on August 21, 2006.
6 aftermarket equipment / tire recalls replacement parts sold to fit this car, not the car itself
Exterior lights Equipment recall #06E023000 · 2006 · 292,000 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain anzo combination headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps are not equipped with amber side reflectors which fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Why it matters: Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
The fix: Anzo will notify owners and replace the headlamps free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2006.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #06E064000 · 2006 · 4,029 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain tradesonic combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Why it matters: Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and May possibly result in a vehicle crash.
The fix: Tradesonic will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during July 2006.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #07E054000 · 2007 · 9,145 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain maxzone headlight assemblies, depo brand, p/nos. 315-1145l-as and 315-1145r-as, sold for use as aftermarket equipment for the above listed passenger vehicles. During production the lamp reflector shape deformed changing the shape of the optic surface. This will change the opposite position of low beam and high beam opticsand change the angle of incidence and illumated location which fails to conform to the…
Why it matters: Decreased lighting visibility May result in a vehicle crash.
The fix: Maxzone will notify owners and offer reimbursement for any noncompliant headlights. The recall began on July 16, 2007.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #07E063000 · 2007 · 130 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain anzo aftermarket headlights, p/n 02-az-na02-b-a, sold for use on 2002-2004 Nissan altima vehicles. During production the lamp housing shape deformed distorting the assembly angle of the reflector and influenced the aiming position. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Why it matters: Decreased lighting visibility May result in a vehicle crash.
The fix: Anzo will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant lamps. The recall began on September 10, 2007. Owners can contact anzo at 909-628-1440.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #07E074000 · 2007 · 11,300 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain Eagle eyes headlamp assemblies, p/nos. Ds517-b001l and ds517-b001r, sold for use as replacement equipment for the above listed passenger vehicles. The opticel surface of the reflector is corroded inhibiting the performance of the upper and lower beams which fails to conform to the photometric requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Why it matters: Decreased lighting visibility May result in a vehicle crash.
The fix: Eagle eyes will notify owners and offer reimbursement for any noncompliant headlights. The recall began on December 11, 2007.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #09E012000 · 2009 · 16,270 vehicles
What's wrong: These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
Why it matters: Decreased lighting visibility May result in a vehicle crash.
The fix: Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on May 11, 2009.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 13 mention a fire, 25 injuries and 2 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Engine & cooling (450): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (235), warning light on (164).
- Body & structure (126): the most common themes are rust / corrosion (111), door / lock issues (5), leaks (4).
- Engine (117): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (57), warning light on (36), excess oil use (11).
- Electrical (89): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (41), warning light on (22), electrical failure (15).
The 2003 Nissan Altima has 883 owner complaints, ranking #8 of 34 Altima model years for complaints (1.9× the average Altima year). Complaints peaked in 2008 (98 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 6 years old, at a median of 84,900 miles. Neighboring years: 2002 (1047 complaints, 5 recalls), 2004 (276 complaints, 1 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 L 4-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 | 27 | 23 | Regular |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 | 27 | 23 | Regular |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 19 | 24 | 21 | Regular |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 17 | 24 | 19 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2003 Nissan Altima.
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FAQ
Does the 2003 Nissan Altima have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 vehicle recalls for the 2003 Nissan Altima, plus 6 equipment or tire recalls that can apply. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2003 Nissan Altima problems?
Owners have filed 883 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are engine & cooling (450), body & structure (126), engine (117).
What gas mileage does the 2003 Nissan Altima get?
EPA ratings run up to 23 mpg combined (2.5 L, Automatic 4-spd), across 4 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2003 Nissan Altima repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.